When is 2.2 coming out?General

Guys, 2.1's almost five months old and like babies, it's no longer fun to play with and we're looking ahead. It's not just me thinking this, but reports are coming in that 2.2 is RUMORED to be the next Nexus One update.

"
The majority of Android phones are still running an outdated firmware, but that hasn&#8217;t slowed Google from advancing their mobile operating system. Everyone knows the next version of Android (codenamed Froyo) is on the way and the rumors (1, 2) are beginning to pick up that the Nexus One will receive it soon.
Based on the data from our analytics reports it appears Google has already begun testing on their next firmware – Android 2.2. Google engineers have routinely given codenames to future builds of Android (Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, etc.), but they don&#8217;t receive a point release till they are finalized and nearing distribution.
We have shared this reporting data before and people are always quick to point out that it can be easily faked, but I have spoke with additional sources familiar with the matter who confirmed Android 2.2 is currently being tested.
The feature set for Android 2.2 was frozen long ago, but it remains mostly unknown. Google decided last year that they would no longer publish public roadmaps for future versions of Android. Based on the information we can gather, it appears Android 2.2 will mainly focus on performance enhancements.Some of the rumored features for Android 2.2 include:

Some of these features are plausible and others we have no clue.
The JIT compiler has already been confirmed by Google and we expect to find out new details during Google I/O. Android engineers will be leading a discussion that informs devs how to test and tune their apps to work with the new compiler.
Additional free RAM should come thanks to the new Linux kernel being used in Froyo. Google is moving from 2.6.29 to the newer 2.6.32 which makes it possible to address the extra RAM. This has already been done in custom ROMs like CyanogenMod so expect this feature for sure.
I&#8217;m no expert on OpenGL, but it has long been rumored that Froyo (or a future build) will add new APIs to the Android NDK which will let Java devs have full access to the OpenGL ES 2.0 library.
Flash 10.1 is coming in the first half of the year. It is entirely possible it could be tied to a future Android firmware and be included with an OTA update.
We have already addressed the HTC touch sensor issues. It sounds like a future software update could be used to clean this up a little.
Multicolor trackball notifications are definitely coming. Android hackers like ChainsDD have already unlocked this feature for users of custom ROMs. Google advertised the multicolor trackball during its launch of the Nexus One, but the feature was cut from the final Android 2.1 build.
When it comes to the FM radio, I have no idea. Other HTC phones on a similar Snapdragon platform (Desire and Incredible) include the FM radio so it&#8217;s not out of the question that the N1 has it too.
I spoke with Google&#8217;s Eric Tseng during CES and he told me there were many secrets left in the Nexus One that we would discover later.When is it Android 2.2 coming out?

Circle May 19th on your calendar. This is the opening day of Google I/O and I&#8217;m anticipating the release of Android 2.2 (and maybe the Flash 10.1 beta) will be tied to this event. Google has provided every developer attending the event a free Droid or Nexus One, so it is possible to see a simultaneous release on both devices.
I&#8217;m really curious how first generation devices are going to play with this release. We are expecting most phones to receive Android 2.1 this month, so it will be interesting to see how Froyo fits in. Some of the Android engineers have been talking about Froyo on the Google boards and it is unclear if the HTC Dream and Magic will be able to support it since they only have 192 MB of RAM.What features do you want in the next version of Android?

What is the biggest issue that you think Google needs to address in the next release of Android? Are you satisfied with the rumored list of changes? Is there some glaring feature that you think Google is overlooking? Share your hopes and predictions in the comments and let us know what you think."

If you didn't read the article, don't bother posting.

Nothing is guaranteed for Eris users, but I really can't see them skipping over us.

A few things to think about:

-The Incredible is shipping with 2.1. Considering it is the best Android phone out right now, does that mean it too will get it so soon after release? Remember, the Google phones get priority to updates. Always. The Droid and Nexus One got it before any other phone because they run no custom UIs. The Incredible, although powerful, will most likely see it second after all the Google phones get it.

-Android is now at a point where it needs to stop showing its strength solely in bring new features, and needs to refine itself when it comes to menu navigation and just smoothing things out. It had an excuse the past two or so years since it was new. Now, it's time for it to build a solid foundation using past successes and failures and establish itself as the head honcho in the mobile OS kingdom.

-The article mentions it would not make sense to release until later on this year, what with Android being fragmented enough already. So if it's later on this year, does that mean will debut on a brand new device in the next year when it does come out?

Droid debuted with 2.0
Nexus One/Incredible debuted with 2.1
What phone will debut with 2.2?

Something to think about with the constant chatter of jumping ship to the Incredible. We know technology moves forward and all that jazz, but it's hard not to imagine what new device the holidays will bring if a new phone is to debut with 2.2 either late-2010 or early-2011 when most of us will be eligbible for an early NE2.

So, thoughts? Wish list? If the focus is shifted from new ideas and just into refining the OS and making it less buggy and more efficient, does that solidify your dedication to Android?

s Android 2.2 just around the metaphorical corner? The next update for Google&#8217;s mobile platform is currently being tested by the company, reckon Android and Me, who have been digging through their visitor stats and finding records of devices running v2.2. They&#8217;ve also heard from additional sources that the new build is, indeed, being trialled prior to public release.
As for the date we can expect it, that&#8217;s not finalised but the current guesstimate is in time for, or alongside, May 19th; that&#8217;s when Google I/O 2010 kicks off, and it would make sense for the company to push out the new version to coincide with that. There&#8217;s also talk of Flash 10.1 for Android being released at the same time.
So what can we expect? Well, more available RAM is looking like it&#8217;s locked in, as Google switch to the new Froyo Linux kernel, as are multi-colored trackball notifications on the Nexus One. An OTA update is tipped, for the Nexus One at least, unlocking the &#8220;many secrets&#8221; left in the phone that Google&#8217;s Erick Tseng apparently teased about during CES.http://androidcommunity.com/android-2-2-froyo-on-may-19th-20100421/

Even though I already had zero intention of jumping to the Incredible, this just solidifies that decision. I love Sense and I want it on the next phone I buy, but I may have to reconsider that when it comes down to who gets what and how often. The Incredible is going to be sitting on 2.1, just like we are for a while after 2.2 or 2.3 comes out. There is no reason to jump at this time, IMHO. Whatever phone does arrive as the first 2.2 device it will have Vanilla android on it though. Seeing how long it takes people to configure these custom UIs with the a new version of Android, they would have to already be done with it for it to even be considered. That right there rules out the Sony and many of the moto android devices coming this year.

The JIT compiler sounds like heaven to me. If they can get that stable and running smoothly on a build of Android it will lock me into the platform for quite a while.

I would love to see them get rid of the fragmentation and make everything a little smoother. There are talks of them breaking the OS down into pieces for future updates through the market, like they are doing with Google maps now. I think this will really help with fragmentation and some of the problems we suffer now because of it.

Very interesting. I guess this is the real downside of getting a phone that has a custom UI. I really love Sense and all of it's features, but being able to update without having to worry about the UI being updated alongside it would be really nice. I'll probably take that into consideration when I'm able to upgrade again - and considering that won't be for a year and a half, who knows what kind of Android phone/version will be out by then.

Even though I already had zero intention of jumping to the Incredible, this just solidifies that decision. I love Sense and I want it on the next phone I buy, but I may have to reconsider that when it comes down to who gets what and how often. The Incredible is going to be sitting on 2.1, just like we are for a while after 2.2 or 2.3 comes out. There is no reason to jump at this time, IMHO. Whatever phone does arrive as the first 2.2 device it will have Vanilla android on it though. Seeing how long it takes people to configure these custom UIs with the a new version of Android, they would have to already be done with it for it to even be considered. That right there rules out the Sony and many of the moto android devices coming this year.

The JIT compiler sounds like heaven to me. If they can get that stable and running smoothly on a build of Android it will lock me into the platform for quite a while.

I would love to see them get rid of the fragmentation and make everything a little smoother. There are talks of them breaking the OS down into pieces for future updates through the market, like they are doing with Google maps now. I think this will really help with fragmentation and some of the problems we suffer now because of it.

Oh and bring on Gingerbread!

Click to expand...

I never understood the codenames being desserts. Cupcake? Donut? I can already see this being called Brownie...

Very interesting. I guess this is the real downside of getting a phone that has a custom UI. I really love Sense and all of it's features, but being able to update without having to worry about the UI being updated alongside it would be really nice. I'll probably take that into consideration when I'm able to upgrade again - and considering that won't be for a year and a half, who knows what kind of Android phone/version will be out by then.

Click to expand...

It is the downside to getting a custom UI. Honestly, Sense is a staple of HTC now, and it's great and all, but I can imagine the Eris with Sense completely gone and seeing it run much better. It also would have put an end to the 2.1 threads on here as it would truly have gotten it much earlier than what it actually will..which is still unknown.

Using Home instead of Sense still has Sense running in the background. So gains are marginal, and benefits are mostly aesthetical. I'm running Home and I love it. Haven't looked back since switching in February.

Nice post Smacky. I actually just saw this on my Twitter feed and came here to comment.

My 2 cents:

1st - Android needs to iron out their OS distribution moving forward if they want to continue to grow their marketshare in the handset OS arena. One update for all of the phones that are capable of running it pushed out via the web or OTA is going to have to be the way to do things in the near future. The fact that each carrier, (and sometimes each handset,) has to have some sort of custom coding done on top of the Android update code is not a tenable long-term solution. Eliminating the independent rounds of testing on the carrier and manufacturer level is going to be key. If you think about it, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense that the Eris, My Touch and the Hero are all more or less the same hardware and form factor but all have to have code revisions done on the Android update before their owners can get the latest and greatest 2.1 goodness.

2nd - Android should roll up some of the better carrier and handset specific features into the actual Android platform and then limit the amount of software that can run on top of Android in future updates. Adding something like Sense to the core functionality of Android would allow the Google devs that are actually coding the OS itself a chance to fine tune and refine the experience firsthand. Hopefully this would serve to eliminate lag and coding specific hiccups that occur when you're writing code second hand to run on top of someone else's code.

3rd - Android/Google need to make some decisions regarding customization vs. a unified and smoother user experience. Apple's Draconian app submission rules and legalese does this for them already, but at the expense of stifling innovation and customization. I'd like to see Android walk the middle ground between having a "the sky is the limit" attitude to apps and Apple's "our way or the highway" attitude. I realize that Apple's apps and UI "just work" and has a lot of polish due to their policies, but a fancy handset with too many limits is boring in the long run. Apple has always seemed like computing with training wheels to me. Yes it runs great and looks pretty, but they never EVER let you color outside of the lines. PC's and open source OS's offer you that opportunity, but often will require you to spend some time under the hood getting your hands dirty in order to do so. I don't mind, and actually enjoy doing stuff like that (2.1 leaks are like my candy.) However I realize that the average user just wants it to work, and with as little hassle as possible. Finding some sort of compromise between the two is needed.

I really have stopped caring when/if the new updates get pushed out to us in a timely fashion. Regardless, the leaks keep me busy and there's plenty to tinker with on an Android phone as it is. I'll be supporting them for some time to come no matter the update schedule.

It is the downside to getting a custom UI. Honestly, Sense is a staple of HTC now, and it's great and all, but I can imagine the Eris with Sense completely gone and seeing it run much better. It also would have put an end to the 2.1 threads on here as it would truly have gotten it much earlier than what it actually will..which is still unknown.

Using Home instead of Sense still has Sense running in the background. So gains are marginal, and benefits are mostly aesthetical. I'm running Home and I love it. Haven't looked back since switching in February.

Nice post Smacky. I actually just saw this on my Twitter feed and came here to comment.

My 2 cents:

1st - Android needs to iron out their OS distribution moving forward if they want to continue to grow their marketshare in the handset OS arena. One update for all of the phones that are capable of running it pushed out via the web or OTA is going to have to be the way to do things in the near future. The fact that each carrier, (and sometimes each handset,) has to have some sort of custom coding done on top of the Android update code is not a tenable long-term solution. Eliminating the independent rounds of testing on the carrier and manufacturer level is going to be key. If you think about it, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense that the Eris, My Touch and the Hero are all more or less the same hardware and form factor but all have to have code revisions done on the Android update before their owners can get the latest and greatest 2.1 goodness.

2nd - Android should roll up some of the better carrier and handset specific features into the actual Android platform and then limit the amount of software that can run on top of Android in future updates. Adding something like Sense to the core functionality of Android would allow the Google devs that are actually coding the OS itself a chance to fine tune and refine the experience firsthand. Hopefully this would serve to eliminate lag and coding specific hiccups that occur when you're writing code second hand to run on top of someone else's code.

3rd - Android/Google need to make some decisions regarding customization vs. a unified and smoother user experience. Apple's Draconian app submission rules and legalese does this for them already, but at the expense of stifling innovation and customization. I'd like to see Android walk the middle ground between having a "the sky is the limit" attitude to apps and Apple's "our way or the highway" attitude. I realize that Apple's apps and UI "just work" and has a lot of polish due to their policies, but a fancy handset with too many limits is boring in the long run. Apple has always seemed like computing with training wheels to me. Yes it runs great and looks pretty, but they never EVER let you color outside of the lines. PC's and open source OS's offer you that opportunity, but often will require you to spend some time under the hood getting your hands dirty in order to do so. I don't mind, and actually enjoy doing stuff like that (2.1 leaks are like my candy.) However I realize that the average user just wants it to work, and with as little hassle as possible. Finding some sort of compromise between the two is needed.

I really have stopped caring when/if the new updates get pushed out to us in a timely fashion. Regardless, the leaks keep me busy and there's plenty to tinker with on an Android phone as it is. I'll be supporting them for some time to come no matter the update schedule.

Click to expand...

I especially agree with the last part. I keep track of new phones like a hawk because, believe it or not, if you stop for even a few weeks, you will be left behind. It definitely helps in making future purchases, even if they are a few months or a year away. You keep tabs on new technologies and their successes/failures. If you try and do a crash course a week before you purchase, you will end up buying something outdated, flawed, etc. So even though I don't plan on getting the Incredible, N1, or whatever the next best thing is, keeping tabs helps you help others as well as yourself.

I know Android is all about being open-source and dev-friendly, but I think one restriction should be placed. Android doesn't necessarily choose what phones get its OS, but it raises the standards so that only b-level and above devices get the OS.

The Eris, admittedly, in November, was NOT even an above-average phone. It was a bit outdated. Today, it works for people, yes, but maybe Android needs to sacrifice that or force them upgrade a tad bit to a phone that will run incredibly well. That way, features aren't left out (N1 has LWP but not the Droid?). There's fragmentation on the OS, but within firmwares as well, as has been exhibited by the Droid and N1 and the Incredible.

What users should be forced to choose between is between hardware, not software. It may increase the price of phones, giving them a premium like Apple products, but that may not be a bad thing.

Android was young, still is, and needed a following. It has a following, I believe that is big enough for them to start experimenting with things, such as the aforementioned hardware requirements. If it fails, fine, downshift a bit and try again.

Software wise, refine it. Hardware/distribution, slip them a roofie and experiment with it.

If it's taking this long to get 2.1 I highly doubt that the Eris is even going to get 2.2. Also remember guys that HTC only designed Sense for 1.5 (Cupcake) then skipped 1.6 (Donut) and 2.0 (The First Eclair) before it redesigned it to work with 2.1 (Latest Eclair). My guess is by the time HTC decides to bump up Sense to the newest Android OS, the Eris will not have the hardware available to handle it.

*by the way, HTC did design Sense for 1.6 (Donut) but only for their QVGA device, The Tattoo, which is why no one ever saw it for any other devices

You guys forget that devs still need to work on 2.1 root. If we don't get an official update, they could still work with the v2 leak and just root it. Once rooted, get the new Sense on there? I dunno. Root would solve a lot of things, it just hasn't come for us yet.

You guys forget that devs still need to work on 2.1 root. If we don't get an official update, they could still work with the v2 leak and just root it. Once rooted, get the new Sense on there? I dunno. Root would solve a lot of things, it just hasn't come for us yet.

Click to expand...

That is quite true. If the Eris 2.1 gets rooted we would technically be able to have any of the OS versions that the hardware will support. I don't know all that much about root though. Would that allow us to have all the features that are in the rumor list for 2.2? Would it allow for the JIT compiler and the freed up RAM?

I'm just gonna go ahead and say it. The Eris will NEVER get 2.2 or anything past 2.1.

Click to expand...

Never say never. There were plenty of people that said the Eris would never be capable of running 2.1 before the leak came out. Now, we may not see an official HTC Sense UI 2.2 come to the phone, but that doesn't mean that 2.2 can't be installed.

Never say never. There were plenty of people that said the Eris would never be capable of running 2.1 before the leak came out. Now, we may not see an official HTC Sense UI 2.2 come to the phone, but that doesn't mean that 2.2 can't be installed.

I'm just gonna go ahead and say it. The Eris will NEVER get 2.2 or anything past 2.1.

Click to expand...

And honestly should it? Apple limits which of their iPhone models get which OS based on whether or not the user experience is going to be up to par. (Hence the 1 gen iPhones NOT getting the new iPhone OS 4.0.) It makes very little sense to try and cram an updated OS onto outdated hardware. (Looking at you, Tmobile G1.) Like you said earlier, eventually they're going to have to draw some lines in the sand and say, nothing older than X is getting the newest updates from here on out. Otherwise, older hardware will become increasingly crippled by software not designed or optimized for it specifically. (Which is what I think, actually, is the core of Frisco's anti 2.1 stance whether he realizes it or not.)

If the hardware can do it, then I say great. If it struggles or degrades the experience in any way, than I say either don't offer it at all or make it optional with a downgrade path baked into it from the start.

In a bytecode-compiled system, source code is translated to an intermediate representation known as bytecode. Bytecode is not the machine code for any particular computer, and may be portable among computer architectures. The bytecode may then be interpreted by, or run on, a virtual machine. A just-in-time compiler can be used as a way to speed up execution of bytecode. At the time the bytecode is run, the just-in-time compiler will compile some or all of it to native machine code for better performance. This can be done per-file, per-function or even on any arbitrary code fragment; the code can be compiled when it is about to be executed (hence the name "just-in-time").

In contrast, a traditional interpreted virtual machine will simply interpret the bytecode, generally with much lower performance. Some interpreters even interpret source code, without the step of first compiling to bytecode, with even worse performance. Statically compiled code or native code is compiled prior to deployment. A dynamic compilation environment is one in which the compiler can be used during execution. For instance, most Common Lisp systems have a compile function which can compile new functions created during the run. This provides many of the advantages of JIT, but the programmer, rather than the runtime, is in control of what parts of the code are compiled. This can also compile dynamically generated code, which can, in many scenarios, provide substantial performance advantages over statically compiled code, as well as over most JIT systems.

A common goal of using JIT techniques is to reach or surpass the performance of static compilation, while maintaining the advantages of bytecode interpretation: Much of the "heavy lifting" of parsing the original source code and performing basic optimization is often handled at compile time, prior to deployment: compilation from bytecode to machine code is much faster than compiling from source. The deployed bytecode is portable, unlike native code. Since the runtime has control over the compilation, like interpreted bytecode, it can run in a secure sandbox. Compilers from bytecode to machine code are easier to write, because the portable bytecode compiler has already done much of the work.

JIT code generally offers far better performance than interpreters. In addition, it can in some or many cases offer better performance than static compilation, as many optimizations are only feasible at run-time:

1. The compilation can be optimized to the targeted CPU and the operating system model where the application runs. For example JIT can choose SSE2 CPU instructions when it detects that the CPU supports them. To obtain this level of optimization specificity with a static compiler, one must either compile a binary for each intended platform/architecture, or else include multiple versions of portions of the code within a single binary.
2. The system is able to collect statistics about how the program is actually running in the environment it is in, and it can rearrange and recompile for optimum performance. However, some static compilers can also take profile information as input.
3. The system can do global code optimizations (e.g. inlining of library functions) without losing the advantages of dynamic linking and without the overheads inherent to static compilers and linkers. Specifically, when doing global inline substitutions, a static compiler must insert run-time checks and ensure that a virtual call would occur if the actual class of the object overrides the inlined method (however, this need not be the case for languages employing a static type discipline).
4. Although this is possible with statically compiled garbage collected languages, a bytecode system can more easily rearrange memory for better cache utilization.

As of January 15th 2010, number of Android OS firmware versions released: Four (1.5, 1.6, 2.0, 2.0.1/2.1)

As of January 15th 2010 number of types of iPhones sold: One
OS versions: One (3.X)

So earlier adopters of the iPhone are kinda left out to dry. After almost three years of owning the phone. G1 users? Been left out to dry once 2.1 was announced for most phones other than the G1. So, 2.1 is out for some phones, G1 users can't use it. 4.0 isn't even out yet. first-gen iPhone users are still up to date with 3GS users.

You catching my drift here?

Android is great. Google is a Goliath. But Android does not equal a Goliath as well. No one here's a lawyer. You can't say the impending lawsuit won't be Google's David. In one ruling, everything can go downhill for Android. On top of that, the Android OS is still buggy as hell. iPhone users may drop their calls. But in this day and age where phones are used more for "not calling" than "as a phone" there are other criteria in which the iPhone is far ahead.

Again, fansheep, stop to think on your own instead of what you read in articles and hear from certain members. You may not like Apple. But that doesn't mean the iPhone won't kick your phone's ass.

The Droid and N1 came out about six months after the 3GS did. The staggered releases of Apple vs Android phones just means it will be one big cycle where no one wins unless the two keep competing for market share. Taking sides and approaching the issue with a narrow mind will earn you an "F" for fail as everyone reaps the benefits of two companies duking it out.

Now I just realized this thing was moved from the Eris section to the Droid section. Not that it makes a difference, but most of who I was targeting were Eris users on their high horse thinking the Eris>>iPhone.

Click to expand...

I included the whole thing so you saw the context in which it was written. Forget about the iPhone vs Android.

It doesnt matter for me because I'm running 10.12!!! It can do all kinds of stuff. Not only does it have navigation but it actually teleports me to any desired location I want (verizon charges a monthly fee for this of course). The Sense UI is actually telepathically linked to my brain and it works great if you dont mind the nose bleeds.